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Sparta 11-12 Little League starts sectional tournament

Posted: Jul. 13, 2014 3:47 pm Updated: Jul. 17, 2014 5:00 pm

By ANTHONY SPAULDINGaspaulding@njherald.com

SPARTA — As he was talking about his Sparta 11-12 Little League baseball team’s approach going into today’s Section 1 Tournament during practice on Saturday at Station Park, head coach Tom Coyle turned to Turner Tullis, today’s starting pitcher, and asked him a question.

“What are we working for, Turner?” Coyle asked.

Tullis responded: “The Little League World Series.”

For Sparta, reaching the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pa., is the ultimate goal. To become the Sussex County team to achieve that, Sparta has to win its next three tournaments, starting with Section 1, which begins today at Pepe Field in Boonton. If they can win the section, then the state finals and a U.S. regional event would be on the horizon.

Sparta, which won the District 20 championship on Wednesday, will be facing District 4 champion Ridgewood American in the first round at 1 p.m. today in an attempt to win its first sectional title since 2005 and third overall since 1992.

The sectional tournament scene isn’t new to this particular Sparta group, as these 13 players made it to the 10-year-old division in 2012 and 11-year-old division in 2013. However, this Sparta squad wants to win this one badly so it can continue on its march to Williamsport.

“There is a lot more significance with this,” Coyle said of the Section 1 tournament. “Every year is significant, but if you ask any of these kids what they have been working for the last four years, they’ll tell you the Little League World Series. That’s what they want. They’re trying to deliver.”

“This has happened three years in a row now that we are playing sections,” Tullis said. “It’s just the start really because our goal is to get all the way to the Little League World Series in Williamsport. So, sections is only the second step. Hopefully we keep playing the way we have been playing and just keep on winning.”

Sparta (8-0) has been playing lights out this summer.

Sparta dominated American division pool play, going 4-0 while scoring 50 runs and allowing just seven. Then in the District 20 tournament, it defeated Wallkill Valley, 8-4, Sussex Wantage, 10-9, and Hobb Engler, 8-2, to win its 12th district title in 25 years.

The big reason why Sparta has dominated is because they play well as a team, something they have developed while playing the past four seasons while playing in Little League and in a few other youth leagues.

“These are the most polished group of kids I’ve been around,” Coyle said. “From 1 through 9, they are a solid group of kids. We have strong pitching, we have excellent fielding, we have excellent hitting. When you have a group like this that has matured together, played together, I think they are the group to beat.”

“We work together,” Sparta center fielder Patrick Lynch said. “We try to not get down on each other. We pick each other back up and keep things up when we play.”

The last Sparta team that won the Section 1 title had some talented players, three of which went on to NCAA Division I schools in John Brucker (University of Maryland/Rutgers), Matt Ackerman (Rutgers) and Nick DiSomma (Duquesne for soccer). That team went as far as the state tournament’s elimination bracket final, where it lost to eventual champion Toms River American.

This Sparta group, however, is looking to go further.

“We just want to win sections and keep on going to Williamsport,” Piwko said. “We know we can do it as long as we keep working hard and winning.”

“We’re thinking we can take it all,” Wells said. “We got a good team. We set that goal and that’s what we’re trying to do.”